Singapore petrol stations prepare for EV shift with food stalls and gym pods while customers' vehicles charge

SINGAPORE: Singapore petrol stations are adding food stalls and gym pods to their offerings as they prepare for the city-state’s shift to electric vehicles (EVs), when drivers may spend longer at stations while their cars charge. Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that a corner of the Cnergy petrol kiosk along Dunman Road in Katong, which opened just last month and currently occupies snack and drink vending machines, will be converted into small food stalls serving local cuisine next year. Cnergy, owned by Union Gas Holdings, has equipped its two stations with four EV fast chargers each and aims to open two more stations in Queensway next year and in Marsiling by 2027. Notably, direct-current fast chargers can power EV batteries to about 80% in around 30 minutes. Shell’s Telok Blangah petrol station also introduced a compact “gym pod” for customers to “squeeze in a workout” while their cars charge. Shell’s general manager for mobility and convenience, Doong Shiwen, said EV drivers asked to give them something to fill their time while waiting. Shell has installed EV chargers at 28 of its 56 stations, with more planned. So far in the first half of the year, four in 10 new car registrations were EVs, a 63% increase from the same period last year. Singapore will stop registering new petrol cars by 2030 and aims for a fully cleaner-energy vehicle fleet by 2040. /TISG Read also: ‘Everyone may have to work but can’t find a job,’ netizen says after Grab CEO suggests drivers could upscale to ‘new kinds of jobs’ ahead of robobus launch